


Before: A Tale of Four Thieves

by meils121



Category: Leverage
Genre: Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 14:54:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13102524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meils121/pseuds/meils121
Summary: Nate meets each of the team members long before they become a team.





	Before: A Tale of Four Thieves

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vicky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vicky/gifts).



Sophie

            It’s midnight in Paris.  Nate should be sitting on the balcony of his hotel room, sipping a glass of wine with Maggie and taking in the beautiful sights.  

            Unfortunately, it’s 2 AM and he’s in Moscow.  So much for his anniversary.  Although, he does have to admit that the chance to finally catch the world’s greatest grifter is at least a little bit exciting.  

            Despite the late hour, the party is still in full swing.  Nate watches from the corner as the woman makes her way through the room.  A laugh here, a hair twirl there - she knows exactly how to play every single person in the room.  Nate’s impressed.  

            She reaches him.  “Why are you hiding over here?”  She asks with a pout and strong Russian accent.  “I want everyone to have fun at my parties.”

            “Beautiful necklace.”  Nate says.  “When are you replacing the fake with the real one?”

            The woman tilts her head.  “I don’t know what you are talking about.”  She says.  “Perhaps my English is not good enough, hmm?”  But there’s a twinkle in her eyes that suggests she knows exactly what he means.  Which she should, since Sophie Deveraux is British.  At least, he thinks she is.  

            Interpol agents flood the party minutes later.  Nate keeps his eyes on Sophie, waiting for her to make her next move.  She hands over the necklace willinging.  So she must have already made the switch.

            “There’s not enough evidence to keep her.”  The head agent says.  “Not unless we can find the second necklace.”

            Nate swears.  He missed his anniversary for nothing.  The air outside feels even colder and the wind even harsher now that he’s failed.

            “Thanks for keeping the necklace safe for me.”  Sophie says, stepping out of the shadows.  She walks up to Nate, presses a kiss to his cheek.  When she steps back, she’s holding the necklace and Nate’s pocket somehow feels lighter.  

            She’s gone before he can do anything.  

 

Eliot

            There are some things you don’t prepare for, and being thrown across a room is one of them.  Nate hits the wall with a thud and falls in a heap on the ground.  Every inch of him aches.  

            “Next time, I’ll break your arm.”  The man says.  “I suggest you just accept the fact you’ve lost this one.”

            Nate tries to speak, but his chest is too sore.  The man picks up the sculpture and walks away.  It takes another half-hour before Nate can do the same.

 

Hardison

            “We just lost audio.”  One of the techs says.  

            “And visual.”  Another reports.

            Nate raises his eyebrows at the Interpol agent running the op.  “Told you so.”  He says.  “This guy is good.”

            “My guys are better.”  The agent says, frustrated.  He doesn’t like Nate.  That’s okay.  The feeling’s more than mutual.

            Nate shrugs.  “Whatever you say.”  He says.  

            “The alarm system is down.”  A tech says.  “We’ve got major problems.”

            The Interpol agent snarls and leans over the tech’s shoulder.  “Where’s the signal coming from?”  He asks.  “Can you track it?”

            “I -”  The tech trails off.  “Hold up.  No, no, no, no.”  

            “What?”

            Nate glances at the computer.  “He spike you?”  
            “The whole system.”  The tech reports.  “We’re locked out.”

            The Interpol agent is shaking in anger.  “Well, get us back in.”

            “We can’t.”  Another tech says.  On the computer screen, an image of a gummy frog appears along with the text “Better luck next time.”

           

Parker

            Maggie had insisted they attended the gala tonight, as much as Nate would rather stay home and not wear a tux.  But they’re here, and at least there’s beautiful artwork that Nate can admire while his wife chats with people he has no real interest in meeting.

            “Shrimp?”  A waitress asks, practically shoving the tray in his face.  Nate takes a step back and frowns at the girl - because really, she can’t be more than fourteen or fifteen.

            “You work here?”  He asks.  

            The girl frowns back.  “Yes.”  She says.  “Now eat some shrimp.”

            Nate takes a shrimp from the tray because he gets the sense that the girl won’t leave him alone until he does.  He watches as the girl winds her way through the crowd.  There’s something off about her.  

            Maggie reappears, catching his elbow.  “The speech is about to start.”  She says.  Nate throws one last look over his shoulder, but the waitress is gone.  

            It’s about halfway through the speech when the lights are cut.  Nate smiles.  He was right.  There was something off about the waitress.  Clearly an accomplice of some kind.  The lights turn back on only seconds later.  It takes a minute for Nate to figure out what was stolen.  There’s a painting missing from the far wall.  The space looks odd without it, a strange gap where it should be.

            Chaos ensues, and Nate mentions the girl to police officer interviewing him.  “Young.”  He says.  “I think she was there as an accomplice.”  

            The officer is skeptical, and, to be fair, Nate would be too if he hadn’t talked to the waitress.  

            Finally, they’re allowed to leave.  Nate’s in the coat room, Maggie waiting outside for him, when the girl appears in front of him.

            “You’re wrong.”  She says.  “Just so you know.  I work alone.”

            Nate’s so shocked that he can’t do more than stare at her as she pulls herself back into the air duct.

 


End file.
